Hospital conducting survey on use of Kettering as Statcare Center

Jim BrewerPublished: July 1, 2006 12:00AM

By JIMBREWER
T-G Staff Writer
LOUDONVILLE The Samaritan Regional Health System is conducting a survey of Loudonville area businesses as part of consideration of a possible Statcare Center operated in the old Kettering Hospital facility in Loudonville during summer months.
The survey was distributed to a list of about 140 Mohican area businesses, asking them if they would direct visitors to such a facility if it was open.
This is a research project that began from a brain-storming session over lunch with Dr. (David) Bowman and Dr. (David) Tomchak, Danny Boggs, Samaritan President and CEO, said. We are always looking for what additional services are needed in the community. Since Loudonville dramatically changes in demographic character from summer to winter, we wanted to explore the idea of an urgent care center type product to serve the community, campers, canoers, boaters, fishermen, etc.
Boggs said a Statcare Center would be able to to treat those who become ill or injured and require attention, but either can not get into a physicians office in a timely fashion, which is often a matter of perception; or do not have a relationship with a physician. Currently, about 50 percent of emergency department visits fit in this category. A Statcare Center would not treat patients in cardiac arrest being delivered by squad, etc.
Boggs further indicated he thought the center would be open during peak hours, like weekends or afternoons, and be manned, preferably, by a physician, although a physicians assistant or nurse-practitioner were also mentioned as options.
These details would have to be worked out, and would be dependent on the availability of qualified personnel, Boggs said.
Samaritan took over operations at Kettering, which prior to then was a full service hospital, in 1993, and simultaneously the emergency room there was closed.
In the time since, the Loudonville and Perrysville Emergency Squads have taken emergency patients to, generally, the emergency room of their choice. Four hospitals, Samaritan in Ashland, MedCentral in Mansfield, Knox Community in Mount Vernon, and Wooster Community in Wooster, are about the same distance from Loudonville.
Kettering was opened in 1955 after a major community fund raising effort.
Changes in health care regulations and insurance company reimbursement plans, and decrease in the number of physicians working in Loudonville ultimately led to the demise of Kettering as a full service hospital.
In the time since, Samaritan has used the facility to provide laboratory and rehabilitation services, as a satellite location for some specialist services, and for some outpatient services.